As-salamu Alaykum (peace be upon you), Dear Readers...

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Monday, July 21, 2008

International Fiction by Muslim Authors

My blog stats tell me that many people come to this blog because they are seeking a list of Muslim writers. Here is one list you might find useful. There is, however, a distinction between Muslim-authored fiction and fiction with Islamic themes. I have not read most of the books on the above list, but I am almost sure that many of them are culturally oriented and do not seek to educate the reader about Islam or promote correct Islamic teachings. This is something that Sister Widad talks about frequently. Besides starting a publishing business dedicated to Islamic fiction, Sis Widad also created a database of contemporary authors who are writing religiously oriented Islamic fiction. If you're not sure what the distinction is, you'll probably be interested in Sis Widad's most recent blog post:

Why is Islamic Fiction Different from Other Fiction Written by Muslims?

All of this does not mean that there is no value in "cultural" fiction written by Muslims. It is just important to understand the difference and read with a discerning eye. Generally, if you are looking for religiously oriented work, then you should browse the websites of Muslim publishers or mega-retailers like IslamicBookstore.com, which, by the way, recently added a section for Fiction with Muslim Themes to its website. I also noticed there is a section for Muslim Fiction at Online-Islamic-Store.com.

P.S. I just came across this excellent analysis of Muslim fiction written by Umm Zaid. You'll definitely want to read her article if this is an issue that interests you.

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This blog is maintained by Amel Abdullah, a freelance writer, editor, and Arabic to English translator.